Benidorm Local fiestas

The second Saturday of November is the start of the Benidorm fiestas, related to the month of March, when the Benidorm patron the “Virgen del Sufragio” was found out at sea.

But the date did not fit in well with the way of life of sailors and fishermen. So a new more practical date was set in accordance with the work of those generations so that when finishing the “almadraba” they had time to prepare the fiesta and enjoy it with their families as they had been away so long.

The days of celebration are in honor of the Virgen del Sufragio and St. James, the patrons of the town. 50 years ago, when Benidorm was an incipient tourist town, the celebrations were brief, fireworks and religious celebrations played an important part. The estampetes have a privileged position in the fiestas related to the fireworks as they are a tribute to the patron, when at the end of the procession the lighting of a fire portrays the image of the Virgin.

These simple celebrations have changed over the years to become one of the most important of the area of the Marina Baixa. New events have been added such as the coronation of the beauty queens, the humorous parade and the parade of floats. But the most innovative element was the creation of the “peñas”.

These clubs of people contribute to a great atmosphere in the town from their establishments creating a fun atmosphere with lots of hustle and bustle during the festive nights. The “peña” groups star in the parade of humor, an important symbol in recent years and in which irony and sarcasm describe the political landscape with fancy dress costumes. Dozens of bands endlessly roam the streets and cultural and children’s activities multiply.

There are also sporting events, but firework displays prevail as the great fireworks display that closes five days of partying.

These autumn festivals have been a key tourist attraction over the years. They are so well known that many Britons book their visit to coincide with the festivities because they know they have such a good time. November is therefore a key calendar date in the year, a month where it is still almost high season.